40 Elderly Persons Die Of Starvation While Awaiting Allowances

About 40 of 2,000 elderly persons shortlisted to benefit from the N10,000 monthly allowance package of the Osun State government died while waiting the inauguration of the scheme. This was disclosed by the consultant that was engaged by the state government for the scheme, Professor Kunle Ogunbameru of the Department of Geriatrics from the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife. Ogunbameru said the scheme was supposed to have been inaugurated on the 1st of January this year, but that it was shelved due to the announcement of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, and the strike that followed.

The remaining 1,602 were brought to the venue of the inauguration of the scheme yesterday where the state governor, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola, assured them of adequate care.

Aregbesola said his administration is aware of the fact that most elderly people in the state are either suffering due to lack of food or ravaged with preventable diseases. He stated that the programme was established based on the fact that the aged constitutes the third leg of the vulnerable group in the society, with the others being children and women.